Mat, matting, and covering



Nov. 28, 1933.

E. C. LORRAINE MAT, MATTING, AND COVERING Filed Aug. 3, 1931 x v v E 12. 1

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mm. is 2' is n 9 Patented Nov. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES 1,936,634 MAT, MATTING, AND COVERING Edward C. Lorraine, New York, N. Y., assignor to 0. W. Jackson & Co. 1110., a corporation of New York Application August. 3, 1931.. Serial No. 564,823

11 Claims. (01. 40-140 My invention relates to improvements in matting or floor covering, and is especially adapted for use in lobbies of theatres, and for use on the side-walk beneath the canopy in front of the theatre entrance. The invention has-for its primary object a suitable form of mat in which letters and designs may be removably secured and interchangeable, such as for advertising purposes, announcement of different shows, pictures, hotel data, etc.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective, parts being broken away, a suitable form of mat embodying an application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a crosssection 'on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of interchangeable letter, such as might be' used in a mat similar to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of letter for design. Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 'of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 illustrates another modified form of unit, letter or design, and Fig; '7 illustrates a suitable form of lock bar in perspective, part broken away, for holding the letters in position after being arranged in the mat.

The mat is preferably a multiple mat, that is to say it is preferably formed of several thick nesses, such as upper portion 8 and the lower portion 9, said portions'being vulcanized together in the usual manner, the upper portion may also be corrugated, as indicated atlO, and is preferably provided with openings therethrough, as indicated at 11 and 12. These openings, instead of being straight walled where cut, are beveled, being wider at the bottom than at the top, as indicated in Fig. 2 at 11 and 12', and the lower layer 9 of the mat is preferably perforated, as

indicated at 13 and 14 to allow for the escape of water, melting snow or the like, especially where the mat is used out-doors. The letters or designs are also preferably laminated or double ply and comprising a lower portion 15 and upper portion 16 as shown, the upper portion 16 being preferably corrugated to correspond with the corrugations in the upper portion 8 of the body portion of the mat. Suitable letters, such as-l'l, or other characters or designs, are formed in the upper portion 16. This may consist of suitably molded or cut-out letters of rubber, or other suitable material, which may be vulcanized into the upper "portion 16 of the unit, or otherwise suitably secured therein, and the units and the mat as a whole may be of rubber, though, of course, it will be readily understood that various other suitable materials, such as compositions, may be employed. The inlaid letters or designs 17 are, of

course, preferably of a color contrasting with the upper portion 16 of the mat,'such as whiterubber letters vulcanized into a substantially black corrugated upper portion 16, the upper portion 16 corresponding in color with the upper portion 8 of themat.

The top and bottom portions of the unit, such as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, is'preferably beveled, as indicated at 18, so as to engage thebeveled upper and lower portions 11, 12 of the cut-outs in the upper portion 3 of the mat. The mat as a whole may be counter sunk'and framed in the side-walk to themain flush therewith, or may be so arranged in the corridor of the theatre, hotel, or other places where used, or it may be laid down on the surface or floor, much thesame as any other mat, in which latter case, the margin of the entire mat would, of course, preferably be beveled to-prevent possible: stubbing of the toe when coming in contact with the edge thereof; In order to insert the letters, or other characters, into the face of the mat, the top and bottomportions are pressed between the thumb and forefinger, curving theunit with a letter outward, thereby reducing the length of the same so that the beveledends .18 thereof may be readily inserted between the upper'and lower portions of the cut-outs 11, 1'2, theletters beingpushed right or left so as to form, when arranged, proper words, sentences, numbers, designs or desirable combinations thereof. As an additionalpr ecautionary measure for holding the letters down in position as aforesaid, a suitable lock bar 19, such as'shown in Fig. 7, maybe employed and from the under side of said bar suitable pins or studs, such as 20, may project to engage opposite sidesor" the elongated hole 21, preferably formed in each unit. This lock bar 19, of course, preferably seats into the face of the mat and units so as to remain 'iiush'therewith, and if desired, a half rounded form of bar, such as 22, may be employed; the cut-out face of a unit being indicated at 23 in Fig. 4 showing the manner in'which the same is maintained flush with the mat and units. The studs or pins 20 also preferably pass not only through the units or letters but down through the holes 24, through the base portion 9 of the mat, and if desired, any suitable form of looking or retaining means may be employed, or the same may be held merely by frictional engagement, making 10 the holes and pins of such relative size that some pressure is required to insert the pins within the holes so that they will not readily come away. When it is desired to change the lettering or design of the mat, the lock bars, such as 19, 22 are,

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, it will be noted that tongued and grooved sides 25, 2,6,

are provided for additionally interlocking the let ters and mat, and when this arrangement is used, it may be found convenient to first interlock a complete line of letters, thereafter curving the same as a line transversely'all'owing the free top or bottom of the line to be introduced into the opening in the mat. In the modification shown in Fig. 6 a so-called double decked unit is illustrated, the upper portion 26 being grooved at the bottom to receive the tongue at the upper portion of the'lower part 27, thus provision may be made for an upper and lower character or design in the same line of letters or figures, such was wherea fraction might be indicated, or quotation marks, or the like. In fact, variousmodifications maybe made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

I claim: A V 1. In a mat of the class described, a flexible body, a channel formed in said body having bevelled walls, and a series of flexible blocks adapted to be disposed in said channel and having bevelled end walls adapted to be interlocked with the walls of the channel.

,"2. In a mat of the class described, a flexible body, a channel formed insaid body, and flexible blocks disposedin said channel, the cooperating Qxwalls of said channel and said blocks being so w formed as to cause the blocks to be interlocked with'said body.

3. In a mat of the class described, a flexible body, a channel formed in said body, and flexible blocks disposed in said channel, the cooperating walls of said channel and said blocks being so formed as to cause the blocks to be interlocked with said body, the remaining walls of said blocks being so formed as to cause adjacentblocks to be 9;; interlocked with one another. c 4.11m mat of the class described, a flexible base section and a separate flexible superposed section secured thereto, said superposed section havingopenings into which characters may be ;removably secured, characters adapted to be secured therein, and means for interlocking said characters within said sections.

. 5. In a mat of the class described, a flexible base section and a separate flexible superposed section secured thereto, said superposed section having openings into which characters may be removably secured, characters adapted to be secured therein, and means for interlocking said characters within said sections, said last 5 ,;mentioned means comprising bevels at the opposite ends of said characters and undercuts at the opposite ends of said openings conforming to said bevels.

6. In a flexible mat of the class described, a flexible base section and a flexible superposed section secured thereto, said superposed section 80 having a channel, blocks embodying characters adapted to be disposed in said channel, said channel and blocks being so formed as to' cause the blocks to be interlocked with said superposed section when the same are disposed in said channel.

7. In a flexiblbe mat of the class described,- ajflexible base section and a flexible superposed section secured thereto, said superposed section having a channel, blocks embodying characters adapted to bedisposed in said channel, said channel and blocks being so formed as to cause the blocks to be interlocked with said superposed section when the same are disposed in said channel, said blocks being so formed as to cause adjacent blocks to beinterlocked with oneanother.

8. In a flexible mat of the class described, a

flexible base section and a flexible superposed section secured thereto, said superposed section having a channel, flexible 1 blocks embodying 190 characters adapted to be diSDQSBd in saidchan nel, said channel and blocks being so formed as to cause the blocks to be interlocked withsaid; superposedsection when the same are disposed. in said channel, said blocks being so formed as cause adjacent blocks to be interlocked withone another.

9. In a mat of the class described, a body, a channel 'formed in said body, blocks adapted,- to be -disposed in "said channel, either the bodygflq or the blocks being plastic whereby to permit in. sertion of the blocks within the cha n nel, the cooperating walls of said channel and blocks being" so formed as to cause the blocks to be inter; locked with' the body upon insertion of. the blocks inthe channnel.

10. In a mat of. the class describeda body, a channel formed in saidbody, blocks adapted to be disposed in 'said'channel, either the bodyio r the blocks being plastic whereby to permit insertion" of theblocks within the channel, the, cooperating walls of said channeland blocks being so'formed' as to cause. the blocks to'be interlocked with the body'upon insertion of the blocks in the channel, the remaining walls of said blocks being'so formed as, to cause adjacent blocks to be inter! locked with one another.

11.1In a mat of the class, described, ,a body, a channel formed in said body, blocks adapted to be disposed in said channel, either thebody, or the blocks being plastic whereby to permit in sertionofthe blockswithin the channel, theco-i operating walls of said channel and blocks being so formed as to cause the blocksto be interlocked with the body upon insertion of the blocks .inthe channel, the remaining walls of said blocks be ing so formed as to cause adjacent blocks to be interlocked with one another, and means for additionally fixing the blocks 'to the body when the same are disposed in the channel.

EDWARD c. LORRAINE.

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